Rule and lead cutter.



H. G. HANSEN.

RULE AND LEAD CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1914. 1,1 14,754, Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

' I V 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THE NORRIS F'EYERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON.

H. O. HANSEN.

RULE AND LEAD CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1914.

Witnesses. .Mm

Patented 0ct..2,7, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lnvenTor. HansC.Hc1ns'en fwwaw ATTy's.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHJU WASHINGTON. D C.

HANS G. HANSEN, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RULE AND LEAD CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 20, 1914. Serial N 0. 820,058.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HANs O. HANSEN, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Newton, county of MiddleseX, Stateof fication, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has reference to a machine for cutting strips of metal orother material into desired lengths and is designed primarily for use incutting brass rules, leads and slugs of various thicknesses such asemployed in printing. v 6

Thin materials such asrules, leads, etc., are curved by the action of acutter if the shearing blades operate at an angle, whereas if theshearing edges of the blades are substantially parallel for cutting suchmaterials, the severed pieces are fiat. Thick materials, however, suchas slugs are much more easily out if the shearing edges are angularlypositioned. Accordingly, my present invention aims to provide animproved cutter in which the blades may be adjusted to the mosteflicient angle for the particular material to be cut.

Another object is to provide such a machine which will properly supportthe material to be cut regardless of the length and will insure thepieces being cut to the desired length with precision and accuracy.

Another whereby pieces of the same length as a given sample piece may becut off without the trouble of measuring the sample.

Another object is to provide a device in which the parts shall be strongand durable and arranged to secure the cutting of heavy and thick piecesas well as light and thin pieces with the application of comparativelysmall power.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the cutting actionis opposed by spring pressure acting to restore the shearing blades toopen position, and in which the means for adjusting the shearing bladesto the required angle is also opposed by spring pressure, and in whichin the preferred form a single spring secures both of these functions.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more fully from thefollowing description and accompanying drawings,

object is to provide means.

and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings illustrate a preferred form of machine embodying myinvention, and suitable for use as a printers rule, lead and slugcutter.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is arear elevation of the same; Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken on the line38, Fig. 2; Fig. tie a sectional view taken on the line 4+4, Fig. 1;Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55, Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is asectional view taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 2, showing the parts inposition for cutting thin material; and Fig. 7 is a sectional viewsimilar to Fig. 6 but showing the parts adjusted for cutting thickmaterials. I

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a base consistingpreferably of a casting presenting a bed or material support 2, andhaving legs 3, 4 and 5. The cutting mechanism comprises a fixedblade 6secured to the bed plate and a movable cooperating blade 7 carried by aC-shaped arm 8.

The bed or material support is shown as extending to oneside of thefixed blade and is, provided With a shoulder 9, thus forming a guidewayfor the strip of'material. The surface of the bed above this shoulder isgraduated to any desired scale as indicated at 10 and may convenientlybe marked to designate ems, thus providing convenient means for cuttingstrips of desired length.

The two shearing blades broadly considered are supported in bladecarrying members, the lower one by that portion of the bed plate towhich it is immediately fastened and the upper one by that portion ofthe C- shaped arm to which it is immediately fastened, and anyconvenient means may be provided to adjust the relative angular positionof these blade carrying members. In the machine illustrated this resultis secured by forming the blade carrying member of the upper shearingblade integral with the C- shaped arm 8 and rendering that armrelatively adjustable to the lower blade carrying member by means ofanadjustable auXiliary support 11 in such a manner as to raise or lowerthe pivot of the C shaped arm, but the invention broadly considered isnot restricted to this construction, which is here presented as thepreferred form. The auxiliary support may conveniently be pivoted to thebase as at 12 andcontrolled by means Patented Oct. 2'7, 1914. i

of an eccentric 13 rotatably mounted. in the frame and operating in ahole 14 in the auxiliary support.

The position of the eccentric is controlled by a handle 15 pivoted in aslot in one end of the eccentric and having a pin 16 adapted toproject-into any one of a series of holes 17 in a plate 18 secured inthe frame. A. spring 19 operates to press this lever toward the plate. Ithus provide means whereby the shearing edges of the blade may beadjusted to lie substantially parallel as they approach each other forcutting thin strips such as rules or leads, orby a simple adjustment ofthe handle 15 the pivot of the arm 8 may be raised to such an extentthat the upper blade will approach the lower blade at a considerableangle as indicated most clearly in Fig. 7. By this means thin pieces maybe cut without bending or curving the same and thick pieces may be cutby the more powerful and ethcient diagonal stroke.

The arm 8 is curved to extend under the support and is connected at thelower endto an operating lever 20 thus leaving the top of the machinefree and providing convenient access to the material support andshearing blades. The operating lever is pivoted to the frame asindicatedat 21 and may be connected'to the arm 8 by any convenientmeans. In the form shown sockets 22 and 23 are provided in the lever andin the end of the arm, respectively, to receive the ends of acompression link 2-1. The link is of substantially the shape of adumbbell in longitudinal section andits width is equal to the thicknessof the lever 20-and arm 8 so that the action of the lever will give thearm a movement about its pivot without causing any lateral strainthereon. The operating lever and link thus have no tendency to throw theblades out of alinement. The sockets may be conveniently of such a shapeas to permit the insertion of the link laterally butprevent itswithdrawal longitudinally, and the socket 22 in the lever is sopositioned that the projecting boss 25 will prevent accidental removalof the link laterally. The link can easily be removed when desiredbyfirst removing the pivot pin 21 of the lever 20. The downward movementof the lever is limited by a stop 26 and its upward movement is limitedby engagement with the base as indicated at 27; A- coiled spring 28connected to the arm 8 at 29 and to the auxiliary support at 30 returnsthe arm to initial position after the cutting operation, and has theadditional function of urging the auxiliary support upwardly about itspivot. The spring thus holds the auxiliary support against the,eccentric at all times, the eccentric and spring at all times acting inopposition to each other. The rotation of the eccentric thus causes thedesired adjustment of the auxiliary support.

Upon operation of the device such strain as is exerted upon the pivot ofthe arm 8 is in an upward direction and this is resisted by theeccentric so that the auxiliary support .is positively held in position.This construction makes it possible to employ an eccentric pin of simpleand cheap construction. The pin shown consists of a cylindrical shafthaving its central part turned down to present a reduced portion ofsufiicienteccentricity to provide the desired adjustment. It is to benoted that there is a distinct shoulder at each end of the centraleccentric portionv extending entirely around the pin as clearlyindicated in Figs. 6 and 7, that is, the central and outer portions arenot tangent to the sam plane at any point. The auxiliary support whenpositioned against the central portion will therefore always liebetwenthese shoulders and prevent longitudinal'movement of the pin. Thispin may be inserted by so-positioning the auxiliary support that theholes in the base and in the auxiliary support are in alinement. Thespring 28 holds the auxiliary support against the reduced eccentricportion of the pin and between the shoulders thereof thus holding thepin against longitudinal displacement. This spring is preferablypositioned in a recess 31 in the arm thusbeing concealed, whereby a neatappearance is pre sented;

An adjustable gage 32 is provided presenting a stop to facilitatecutting pieces ofany desired length and this gage is preferablyattachable at either side of the shearing blades. The may thus be usedin the position shown for cutting either long or short pieces or may beshifted to the opposite side for more conveniently cutting a number ofshort pieces. The shown is adjustably held in position by a gage clamp33 which may be attached to either of two similar square clamp-receivingextensions 3 1 and 35 formed on the base. I provide adjustable stops 36and 37 to determine the position of the clamp upon the base, each stopconsisting of a depending lug and a set screw mounted therein. The clampshown comprises a block having a square hole 38 to fit either squareextension, and a second hole 39 to receive the gage 82. A thumb screw 40secures the clamp in position. Clamping means is provided to grip thescale and hold it in adjustedposition in the clamp. The clamping meansillustrated consists of a spring pressed detent 41 and an eccentric 42rotatably mounted in the clamp and operable to retract the detentagainst the pressure of its spring- The eccentric is provided with anarm 18 for convenient operation. The scale is preferably provided with aseries of notches 44 into which the end of the spring pressed detent mayproject, these notches being. placed to correspond with the graduationsto facilitate setting the scale in the exact position desired.

I have illustrated a convenient means whereby one or more pieces may becut to sired position of the scale.

size to correspond with a given sample without the necessity ofmeasuring such sample. A shoulder 4:5 upon the scale near one end is sopositioned that when the clamp is positioned, as shown, the distancebetween this shoulder and the opposed face of the clamp will be equal tothe distance between the opposite end of the scale and the shearingedges ofthe blades. The sample may be placed between the shoulder andthe clamp thus accurately determining the de- A thumb screw 46 isprovided to hold the scale in adjusted position when thus cutting tosample. The

- pieces cut ofi? between the end of the scale and the shearing bladeswill then be of the same size as the sample. By this means the troubleof measuring the sample and consequent sources of error are eliminated.

/ I have illustrated a device in which the ma- I have illustrated apreferred form of scale but it will be obvious to one skilled in the artthat various modifications may be made in the type of scale to be used.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cutter comprising a material support, a shearing blade connectedthereto, a cooperating shearing blade, a pivoted arm carrying saidcooperating shearing blade and means to vary the relative position ofthe material support and the pivot of said arm whereby the angle betweenthe cutting edges of the shearing blades may be varied.

2. A cutter comprising a lower fixed shearing blade, a support extendingtransversely to and at one side of said shearing blade and presenting aguideway, an adjustable auxiliary support, an upper blade, a levercarrying said upper blade and pivoted to said auxiliary support wherebythe angle between the shearing blades may be varied adjusted positionwhereby the position of the pivot of said arm maybe varied relative tothe material support to thereby vary the anglevbetween the cutting edgesof said blades-and means to operate the pivoted arm.

4. A cutter comprising a lower fixed blade, a main support extendingtransversely toand at one side of said blade, an auxiliary supportpivotally connected to said support and adjustable relatively thereto,an upper movable blade, an arm carrying said upper blade pivotallyconnected to.

said auxiliary support and extending beneath the main support, anoperating lever' pivoted to the main support, and a connection betweensaid arm and operating lever consisting of a compression link havingrounded ends fitting into sockets in the arm and lever, respectively.

5. A cutter comprising a lower fixed blade, a material support extendingtransversely to and at one side of said blade, an upper movable blade,aC-shaped arm carrying said upper blade and pivotally connected to andextending beneath'the support, an operatinglever pivoted to the supportand a connection between said arm and operating lever beneath thematerial support COIlSlSli. ing of a compression link having roundedends fitting into sockets in the arm and.

lever, respectively.

6. A cutter comprising'a base presenting a material support, shearingblades operable to sever the material resting on said material support,said base being provided with gage clamp receiving means at both sidesof the shearingblades, a gage, and a gage clamp attachable to'either ofsaid gage clamp receiving means to hold the gage in adjustedposition'relatii' 'e to the material support, and on either side of theshearing blades.

7. A cutter comprising a base presenting a material support, shearingblades operable to sever the material resting on said material support,said base being-provided with gage clamp receiving means at both sidesof the shearing blades, a gage, agage clamp attachable to either of saidgage clamp receiving means to hold the gage in adjusted positionrelative to the material support, and ad justable means to determine theposition of the gage clamp when applied to one of said gage clampreceiving means.

8. A cutter comprising a lower fixed shearing blade, a main supportextending transversely to and at one side of said shearing blade andpresenting a guideway, an auxiliary support adjustably connected to themain support, an upper shearing blade, a C-shaped lever carrying saidupper shearing blade and pivoted to the auxiliary support and extendingbeneath the guideway,

means connected' withsaid lever beneath the guideway to operate saidlever to bring. the shearing blade into operation to sever the material.

9. A cutter comprising, a fixed" she'zaringv blade, a materialsupportpresenting a guideway extending transversely of and to one side of saidfixedblade, a gage clamp secured to the material support, a gage adjustable in said gage clamp and extending longitudinally of the materialsupport, said gage having a shoulder so positioned; that the spacebetween the shoulder and the opposed face of the clamp will always beequal to the space between theend of the gage and the cutting edge ofthe fixed shearing blade whereby sample pieces may beplaced between saidshoulder andthe face of the gage to determine the position of the gagewhen itis desired to-cut other pieces of the same size as the samplepiece, amovable shearingblade, an arm carrying said movable blade, andmeans for operatingsaid armto sever the material.

10. A cutter comprising a material support, a shearing, bladeconnected'thereto, a;

cooperatingshearingblade, a blade carrying member to which saidcooperating blade'is secured, said blade carrying member being.adjustable to vary the relative angular position in which thecooperating blade approaches the fixed blade, and operating means forsaid blade carrying member.

11'. A' cutter comprising a lower fixed blade, amain support extendingtransversely to the blade; an auxiliary support adjustably connected tosaid main support, an upper movable blade, an arm carrying said upperblade movably connected'to said auxiliarysupport and extending beneaththe main support, alever fulcrumed on-the main support and operativelyconnected to said armbelow the main support to exert its line of thruston said arm in substantially: the direction of movement of the upperblade.

12. A- cutt'ercomprising abase presenting pivoted thereto, a C-shapedarm pivoted intermediate its ends to said adjustable supaort sarin means006 aeratin with said I adjustable support and Cshaped arms to urge theadjustable support to elevated positionand the C-shaped arms to initialposition, cooperating shearing blades secured to the base and to one endof the C-shaped,

arm, respectively, and operating means en theother end of said C-shapedarm, adjusting means acting in opposition to the spring" means forcontrolling the position of the adjustable support.

14h A cutter comprising a base presenting a material support, a fixedshearing blade connected to said material support, a C- shapedarm'pivotally connected to said base intermediate its ends, a movableshearing blade securedto one end of said C-shaped arm and cooperatingwith said fixed shearing. blade, operating means connected to the otherend of said C-shaped arm and acting thereupon substantially in thedirection of movement of said movable blade whereby comparatively littlestrain is put upon the pivot of said arm.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS C. HANSEN. Vitnesses:

ELIZABETH G. MORRIS, T'HoMAs J. DRUMMOND.

Copies oftlfls patentflmay beobtained. for five cents eacln byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

